How blogging can galvanize China – Geoffrey A. Fowler

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

All of the spin-control efforts that have made blogging a challenge for brands in America are compounded in China. “There is not a precedent for solving consumer grievances in China. If you are not happy with what you buy, you don’t call up customer service,” said Scott Kronick, the president of WPP Group PLC’s Ogilvy PR in China.

Instead, Chinese consumers mobilize and gain access to information — not all necessarily accurate — using the Internet. The Chinese government censors the Internet for political content but generally doesn’t restrict the sort of discussion Mr. Rui’s post spurred.